Experimental Environment
by maxifabulous
Summary: Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter One**

-o-

Ryou stared at the document in front of him, unable to read it because of the shock he felt at what he was hearing. He knew his father had been low on money recently, since he'd stopped sending Ryou any for living expenses. It had forced him to get a part time job just to survive, even though something like that wasn't allowed in Japan for high school students. He also knew that since the millennium items had been sent into the abyss when Bakura was defeated, and the Egyptian display had moved back to Egypt, there had been a slump in the amount of visitors to the museum. It was now costing his father more money to run it than it was making.

But he hadn't expected something like this!

The principal leaned forward, fingers steepled together and a tight, smug smile spread across his face. Ryou didn't like the way he looked, his eyes evaluated him as if he were an object rather than a person. "All you need to do is sign it," he said. "Your father has already signed all of the legal documents, and your belongings have already been moved into the room that has been assigned to you. You just need to sign the agreement that says you will abide by our school's rules."

Ryou frowned, looking up at him unhappily, before lifting the pen and twisting it anxiously in his fingers. It was true, this was already a done deal, and even if he didn't sign, he was stuck here. At the boarding school his father had sold him to.

 _Sold,_ Ryou thought angrily. _That's exactly what he did! I did my research when he told me I was going here, and I know what this place is. It's a boarding school for boys, where they send orphans, troublemakers and delinquents. The people who run the place are scientists who pay the families of the students for the rights to experiment on the environment of the school to "help shape them into model citizens" or some such buggery. It's a bunch of lies and propaganda! This is a science lab where they experiment on people that society doesn't care about, that's it._

The principal cleared his throat. "Your stalling will only get you negative marks, Mr. Bakura. Just sign the agreement, and I'll take you to your room."

"I got it," Ryou sighed, gritting his teeth angrily. How dare his father send him here, just because he needed money. How dare this school be in the middle of nowhere, where there was no cell service. And how dare his "friends" back home not even care he was here. "Have fun," they'd told him, before going immediately back to their conversation and ignoring him. They might as well said "good riddance" instead.

Glaring at the document, Ryou signed his signature with too much pressure, denting the paper under the weight of his pen. He set it down too loudly, then stood up, giving the Principal an impatient glare.

"Ah, good," the man smiled. He was used to dealing with much more troublesome youths than Ryou, so his behavior neither surprised nor phased him. "Come with me, then, I'll give you the tour. This way..." he led him out into the hall and through the school with a pleased look that made Ryou want to groan.

As it turned out, "the tour" consisted of a very, _very_ brief walk to the dormitories with no explanation of the rooms or hallways they passed. Ryou was led straight to his room and handed a key.

"There's a guidebook on the bed, I suggest you read it," the Principal commented, and gave Ryou an unwelcome pat on the head. "Dinner is at 7pm sharp, and you begin classes on the morrow." He smiled, his hand lingering too long on Ryou's head, a dark and secretive smirk on his face. "Best of luck."

Ryou pushed his hand away, feeling a shiver roll down his spine. Not waiting for the man to leave, and not feeling his characteristic politeness, he unlocked his room and went inside, locking it behind him when the door was safely shut.

He let out a sigh of relief. "I think I already hate this place," he mumbled, eyeing the tiny room that he'd been given. There was a single window across from the door, and the bed situated under it. A desk sat against the wall to his left, and a closet took up the right side of the room. Sure enough, along with his two suitcases and his laptop bag, a guidebook sat on the bed. "It's like being in a prison more than a school."

It only took him four steps to reach the bed, that was how small the room was. He counted them as he walked to it and carefully opened his bags, beginning to unpack his belongings. Ryou kept his mouth shut, and his mind empty, as he moved robotically to put clothing in the closet, laptop on the desk, and store his empty bags on the ground inside the closet. It was only after everything was put away that he sank to the ground, leaning his back against the undersized twin bed, pulled his knees to his chest, and let his head sink down to rest upon them.

Tears poured from his eyes, soaking his jeans. For the first time in his life, he couldn't find the bright side. Here was the truth, plain and simple.

He was alone in the world, and nobody, _nobody_ , cared if he were alive or dead.

-o-

Ryou stayed that way until the bell rang for dinner, but he had no appetite, and felt no desire to get up and eat. Instead, he rose stiffly to his feet and moved to the bed, lifting up the guidebook and setting it on his lap. A sigh escaped his lips, anger and sadness evaporating with it, leaving only a feeling of apathy behind.

So, no one cared about him. He was alone. Hadn't he always known that was true, deep down? Why should it bother him more now than it ever had before?

"School is going to be a nightmare," he said out loud, his voice holding no emotion. "It's only guys here, scientists will be experimenting on the environment around us, and if I thought the bullying was bad before, something tells me it will be worse in this place." He opened the book to the first page, a hint of a grimace on his face. "Better at least start tomorrow knowing what to expect."

At least reading was never a chore for him. Ryou cast aside everything he didn't want to think of, focusing on the words printed in black ink on the pages before him instead. Here were the rules of the school, the schedule for the year, a map of the school, and all other sorts of information that he could use. It was useful, concrete, and served a purpose. It helped him to remember what it felt like to be optimistic, to face new challenges with determination instead of despair.

He read through the boring, mundane sections of the book about mealtimes, class times for each grade, and general behavioral rules quickly, and by the time he reacted the third section of the book about Environmental Situations, his mood had already lifted.

He could do this. It would be okay.

Ryou began reading the Environmental Situations Guide with a faint smile on his face. It was different from the rest of the guidebook, outlining the agreement that had been signed by their families, and spouting a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo that, after reading it over and over, Ryou decided was saying that all of the experiments conducted by the school were legal. It also seemed to say that whatever harm came to the students was also the responsibility of the students, and no legal action could be taken against the school in regards to physical, emotional, or mental damage.

A frown now took the place of Ryou's smile, and he held the book closer to his face as he read. Hold on a second here… was this saying that the experiments _were_ actually damaging? Or just taking precautions in case something crazy and unlikely occurred? He shook his head, and kept reading.

"Rules that students must follow, or risk academic and/or physical consequences, up to and including being expelled, solitary confinement, or death," he murmured out loud, fingers tightening against the hardbound book. "One: Killing another student is absolutely forbidden, and will result in your death in return. There is no negotiation on this matter. What the buggering hell?" He set the book down, looking around his room with wide eyes.

More and more, this was feeling like prison. Perhaps it was! After all, this was where adolescents that were shunned, unteachable, and unwanted were sent off to. There was probably some sort of martial law in effect.

Swallowing, he lifted it back up and continued reading. "Two: Your rooms are your safe space. No one is allowed to enter another student's room without permission, and no experiments may be conducted on students in their rooms. The penalty for breaking this rule is extreme, and determined on a case by case basis." He wiped his forehead, feeling relief. At least there was one place he could be safe… "Three: You must obey the authority of the faculty. Disobedience will not be tolerated, and depending on the severity of the disobedience, will be punished accordingly. Four: During experiments, students are exempt from punishment for their actions, unless such actions are deemed premeditated by the faculty. Incidents will be judged on a case by case basis. Wait…. what is that supposed to mean? What kinds of experiments do they run?"

Ryou flopped back on his bed, groaning under his breath. Just what kind of place was he going to have to endure, here? This was becoming more and more of a nightmare, and he hadn't even started yet.

He let the book rest against his chest, eyes staring blankly at the dull ceiling. "I hate this place," he mumbled. "It's like I'm being punished for committing some heinous crime." Which was ironic, because he was the last person on earth to do such a thing. If he was guilty of anything, it was of being a side character that got screwed by the anime company once, and then by 4kids a second time. Being abridged was like being screwed a third time, but getting the chance to complain about it sometimes.

And now the story was over. The plot had concluded. All the characters got to go on with their lives.

"And my life," Ryou laughed, aware of tears sliding down his cheeks into his ears. "My life is a blithering JOKE. Three cheers for the limey British kid. Hip, hip, _bugger me_."

He closed his eyes.

He was done reading, done thinking, and done dealing with this right now. He was going to just go to sleep, dream something happy, and tomorrow he was going to start classes in a new school, and make some actual, fucking friends.

"It's going to be different," he whispered. "I'll _make_ it different."

-o-

 _To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, attempted rape, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. ( **Spoiler for those that need it:** Rape does not actually occur in this story, not even once. However, this chapter does contain an attempt.) Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter Two**

-o-

It was a new day, alright, but things had not gone exactly as Ryou had wanted them to. No one seemed to want to be friends at all. The teachers treated him with indifference, and classmates seemed to already have their cliques that they stuck to and weren't interested in inviting him in. None of the cliques were very stereotypical either, so he wasn't even sure why each group stuck together. The only thing they all had in common was that they seemed to have no interest in befriending him.

Each class he went to, he met other students. And each class teased him or shunned him. The teasing was always about how he looked. "You sure you're a boy?" "And here I thought albinos didn't exist." "Wow, sure like to tap that ass. If he's even got one!" But it was the cold, calculating stares that he received from the students that ignored him, that were somehow more disturbing. It was like they were ranking him in their mind, looking at him like an object that could be used.

As for the meals themselves, there wasn't much variety. The school served what they served, and one either ate it, or they didn't. Mealtimes were loud, Ryou got pushed around a lot, and it was hard to find a place where anybody would let him sit down. He managed to find a place close to the trash bins, the others seemed to avoid that table because of the smell, but it would work for now. At least he didn't have to stand while eating.

 _I never thought I'd miss a school with girls_ , he thought wryly, when the day was over and he was heading back to his room. _But if there were girls here, they'd probably fawn all over me instead of treating me like I'm a walking plague._

As for experiments, nothing happened that day. It was just like going to a regular school. And that, at least, was comforting.

It would be almost three days later, as the students were gearing up for their first scheduled quizzes, that the first experiment happened.

-o-

Classes were out for the day, and Ryou had found a window near the end of the hall where he could sit and study in peace while the rest of the students did as they liked. The only reason he knew that an experiment was happening at all was when the bell started to ring out a simple five note melody, an occurrence strange enough to make him lift his head and look around.

He noticed the students both outside and inside had all stopped what they were doing, and was quite certain that some of them had an expression of dread on their faces. Ryou swallowed, shifting his position and pressing his back against the wall for reassurance. _That can't be good…_

When the melody stopped ringing, silence stretched over the school, none of the students moving. Then, one by one, they all went back to what they were doing before. It was… eerie, and yet harmless at the same time.

Ryou frowned, holding his book a little closer to himself. Was that it? An announcement that the experiment started? Maybe it was something that wouldn't noticeably affect them. If that was the case, that was fine by him. He went back to reading, feeling hopeful. After all, he had a fairly important quiz to study for, worth 10% of his grade, and he needed to do well on it.

Minutes ticked by, and Ryou found himself growing steadily more uncomfortable as they did. He couldn't sit in the same position for very long without having to change, couldn't concentrate on the words he was reading, and was finding it harder and harder to think. He finally gave up trying, stuffing the book in his bag with an irritated groan. "What the bugger is wrong with me?" he complained, standing up and beginning to pace back and forth.

It was like feeling feverish. There was an anxious sort of restlessness in his skin, a distinctly unsatisfied sensation building in his stomach and spreading to each of his limbs in turn. His heart was beating too fast.

"I don't like it," he mumbled. He grabbed his bag and threw it over his shoulder, marching down the hallway toward his room.

Each step seemed to accentuate the frustration, beating a rhythm like a drum that shot up his legs into his spine, up his back, through his skull, down to his groin…

He was halfway back to his room when it finally hit him what feeling he was experiencing, and by then he was panting, leaning against the wall beside him with a weak urgency swirling through his nerves. "B-bloody hell," he breathed, hating how it came out more like a frustrated moan than anything else. "What have they done to me?"

Heat, need, racing pulse… his body raged with hormones and drive, in a way that he had never felt before. It seemed forced, unnatural, and not what he wanted. _I don't want to be turned on, but that's what they've done. They've bloody turned me on and I feel like I can't even walk! I have to… make it to my room. I'll have privacy there. Bloody buggering scientists and their bloody buggering experiments…._

Ryou hurried on, his breath and his legs weak as he tried to focus on not getting lost. The school was larger than it looked, and its corridors were often confusing to him. He turned a corner and saw a group of students waiting in the hall, leaning against the walls with serious faces.

One of them saw him, and a grin spread over his face. His eyes were dark with a look that Ryou recognized… and feared. "This one's part of Group B," he said, pointing at Ryou with one hand. He and the other three started moving toward Ryou as one. "We lucked out this time, he's a lot prettier than the last one."

"W-what's going on here?" Ryou asked, hating the way his voice broke, the way he felt sapped of energy. _I need to get back to my room. I don't like the way they're looking at me…_

"It's an experiment," another student said, grabbing Ryou by the arm and hoisting him upright. He pushed him against the wall, pinning his arm above his head, while a second grabbed the other arm to do the same. "You'll get used to it, eventually."

"They like to fuck with us, see?" the one who had pointed Ryou out came forward, grabbing him by the shirt and leaning in close to his face. He licked Ryou's cheek, laughing when Ryou groaned and tried to kick at him. "Ooh, this one's feisty!"

"He's new. Probably doesn't even know what's going on."

"Damn, just his luck to be Group B…" First Boy snickered. He pushed Ryou's shirt upward, nodding to the other two boys to help him take it off. "If he'd been in Group A like us, he could have made it to his room."

"STOP!" Ryou yelled, kicking again and sagging against the wall as it sapped most of his strength. His shirt was taken from him, and while the first three students held him in place against the wall, the fourth pinned his legs and started to undo his pants. _This can't be happened! What are they even saying? This is… is this? Is this rape? No way!_

"Don't worry about it," one of them mocked. He started kissing sloppily at Ryou's ear, snickering when it made him flinch. "You'll be a mess till you cum anyway, that's the way they've set it up. Group B gets their latest and greatest aphrodisiac they're trying to perfect, and Group A gets a placebo. You won't have the strength to go anywhere the way you are right now. We're just trying to help."

"This isn't… _stop it!_ ...helping!" Ryou wiggled a leg free and kicked the fourth guy back, the corner of his mouth turning up in satisfaction when he managed to get him in the balls. Take that, bugger. "If you got a placebo, why are you doing this anyway? Leave me alone!"

"Not gonna happen," the first grabbed his face by covering his mouth with his palm, pinning his head against the wall and glaring into his face. "This is an all boy's school where they constantly mess with our hormones. Nobody cares who we are or what happens to us out here, and some of us are just dying for a break. Experiments are the one time we can do something to let out our frustrations without getting punished, and we're gonna fucking take all the chances we get. So just shut up, and take it, you little _bitch_."

Ryou bit down hard on his hand, his grim smirk widening when the boy yelped and jumped back. The satisfaction may be short lived, but it was worth it. "Back off," he growled, trying his hardest to sound intimidating.

It was laughable though, how weak he actually felt. If the two on either side of him were not holding him up, he'd be on the ground, panting and whimpering as he tried to ignore the heat and desire rushing through his body. He'd probably be crawling to his room, with no guarantee he'd make it.

But even that was better than this.

"You shouldn't have done that," the guy he'd bitten came at him once more, grabbing him by the throat and forcibly kissing him. The others continued trying to strip Ryou of his jeans, still holding him in place, and all he could do was squirm and moan out a furious plea to leave him alone.

 _I feel dizzy. I'm going to faint. No… this can't be happening! Please… someone….. hel…._

A loud voice rang out down the hall, sarcastic, commanding, and fearless. All at once the students attacking Ryou halted what they were doing, and Ryou gasped in a breath of air in relief. His head swam, but he turned to try and make out who was speaking. What had they said?

Someone stood at the end of the hall, arms outstretched to either side. There was a grin on his face, and his eyes glinted with a dangerous glow. "I saaaaaid…. Who wants a hug?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Suddenly Ryou found himself slumping to the ground. The four students who attacked him took off in the other direction as fast as their legs could carry them, swearing loudly. Each of them carried expressions of terror, as if they'd just seen their death right before their eyes. Blinking in a heated haze of confusion, Ryou watched as the newcomer walked up to him, sauntered, really, and grinned down at him like a cat that had cornered a mouse.

He leaned over him, chuckling. "How about you, cupcake?" he sneered. "Would you like a hug?"

Ryou blinked again, then again, over and over as if he thought the vision would disappear. But no, each time he opened his eyes, he was still there. It couldn't be…. Couldn't be the same guy… could it? _It looks just like him. Like Melvin… Marik's evil split personality! He looks a lot like him, but there's no glowy thing on his head, and his voice doesn't sound two-toned. Everything is the same though… it has to be him! But how… how is it possible?_

It didn't matter. Standing over him was his rescuer, a beacon of hope from a time past where Ryou had not been forgotten and left behind. Tears filled his eyes, and with a burst of energy he threw his arms around the Melvin lookalike's torso, hugging him and sagging weakly against him. "You're…. An angel," he cried out.

As if that action alone had taken all of his energy, Ryou passed out, his arms still clasped tight around his rescuer's waist.

-o-

 _To the person I told they would have to wait a long time to hear Melvin ask Ryou for a hug..._

 _lol... I lied._

 _To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, attempted rape, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter Three**

-o-

When he woke, Ryou had a brief moment of relief wash over him. It felt like he was on his bed, staring at his ceiling, as if none of that had happened. But all too soon, he found his mind becoming alerted to the hypersensitive state of his body.

Whatever drug they had given him was still in effect. He felt weak, hot, frustrated and unsatisfied, and wasn't sure that he had the strength to even deal with himself. _Just what kind of aphrodisiac IS this? A chemical weapon?_ He groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes weakly.

"So, you're finally awake," a familiar voice said. His tone was amused, and taunting. And it sounded like a deeper version of Marik's voice.

Ryou pulled his arm away, propping himself up in surprise. The action made him dizzy, but he ignored that. He just stared, mouth open, eyes fuzzy, at the tan-skinned teenager sitting on the desk chair across from the bed he was lying on. It was only then that he realized this wasn't his room. "Y...you!" Ryou blurted. "You're…. Melvin?"

Melvin grinned widely at Ryou's face, holding out his hands and giving him a sarcastic slow clap. "What a smart cookie," he sneered.

"Aren't you dead?" Ryou demanded. Then shook his head, eyes closing when it made him more dizzy. "No, that's not right. Aren't you Marik's split personality? How come you're…"

"Here? In my own body?" Melvin asked, finishing Ryou's sentence as though he was proud of being here. "Surprise, surprise, princess. I'm here in the flesh. And yes," he stood up, walked over, and then leaned over Ryou's body imposingly. "It's really me. No annoying other personality, no time limit or children's card game, just _me_. Your worst nightmare."

Slowly, Ryou laid himself back down, feeling too tired to stay propped up on his elbows. And the closeness of Melvin's body over him was making his body feel all sorts of uncomfortable that he'd rather not feel right now. "You're not my worst nightmare," he said simply. "If anything, you're the best bloody thing to happen since I came to this horrid place."

The smile on Melvin's face faded slightly, but not because he was upset. He just seemed interested, his eyes narrowing lazily. His hand moved too fast for Ryou to see it, bringing a knife from behind his back and pressing it against Ryou's throat. "What a nice thing to say," he commented, amused.

Ryou swallowed, heat searing through his veins at the touch of the cold metal against his skin. All he could hear was his heartbeat, raging in his ears and reminding him that those bloody scientists had drugged him, and thanks to them, all he could think about was how great it would feel if Melvin dragged the edge of it down his neck, not cutting the skin, just scraping against it.

The thought made him want to moan.

"You don't look so well," Melvin said. He didn't move a muscle, bent over Ryou's body with the gentle pressure of the knife against his artery without changing. Only his eyes showed any sign of emotion, the pupils gradually shifting from wide to narrow as he studied Ryou's face. "Should I call a doctor for you, little boy?"

"Hell no," Ryou hissed through his teeth. Anger flared up in tango with his frustration. " _They're_ the ones who bloody did this to me!"

Melvin's mouth widened into a grin, and he snickered. "Well then, what would you like me to do?"

At the question, Ryou swallowed again, forcing any weird thoughts to stay the bugger out of his brain for two seconds, please! He cleared his throat, shivering at the change of pressure it created against the knife to his throat. "I think I'm the one who needs to be asking you that," he said slowly. "You're the one with the knife to my neck."

"Indeed."

It made Ryou twinge with irritation when he continued to not move, just grin down at him. "Well? What do you want? You're _Melvin_ , aren't you? Are you going to kill me, or what?"

"Kill you?" Melvin straightened, retrieving his blade and throwing his head back to laugh. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, he instantly quieted, looking down at Ryou again with a straight face, arms crossed loosely. "No."

The spectacle was, to put it lightly, a bit unnerving. "Then, what?" Ryou persisted. "What do you want to do to me?"

This seemed to be a better question to ask, for the smirk came back to Melvin's face. His eyes glinted with a secret pleasure, that did not show any signs of being lust. "Naturally," he commented, "I want to hurt you."

"Then why don't you?" Ryou snapped, his voice more urgent than he wanted it to be. _Hurt me. Cut me. Bugger I don't care! I just want to feel anything other than this!_

"I should think that would be obvious," Melvin clicked his tongue, as if scolding him, and shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Fluffy."

A wordless groan of frustration was all Ryou could manage, and he turned over on his side, facing away from Melvin, his body trembling with pent up hormones and agitation. Obvious? How was it obvious? Unless was he saying that he wasn't going to touch him because he was….

Ryou fell still, a slow realization dawning on him. _Because I'm drugged. He's saying he won't take advantage of me._

Behind him, Melvin let out a deep chuckle. "Oh so you _do_ understand," he drawled. Again, he clapped his hands slowly, mockingly. "What a good, _smart_ boy."

"Why?" Ryou asked. He turned over to his other side, looking up at Melvin's smirking face, not sure what to say. _Why have mercy on me if you want to hurt me? Why bother rescuing me? I don't understand._

Melvin leaned against his door, observing Ryou with a patient expression, looking for all the world like a lion that had cornered its prey in a cave and decided to lie down in the entrance until its food presented itself to his mouth. "You ask a lot of useless questions for someone who is being graciously offered a few more hours of not being stabbed multiple times." He snickered, and began to twist the blade in his hands, light flickering off of it against the walls. "I'm no stranger to this school's little experiments, and I've come to the conclusion that it's much less fun to stab someone who's doped up on the crap they drugged you with. You can't put up much of a fight the way you are now."

"But during experiments is when you can get away with this sort of thing," Ryou frowned, more confused than anything else. Relief, however, washed across his face. "Why wait till it's over?"

With two rapid steps, Melvin was at the bed, leaning over Ryou and grabbing him by the neck, pinning him to his back once more. His eyes narrowed, grin widening to show his teeth. If he heard the moan that escaped Ryou's lips from this, he made no indication. He simply waited, until the ringing in Ryou's ears stopped, until his body stopped shuddering with repressed, drug-induced desires. Until he had control once more.

Then, Melvin chuckled. "Because _**I** _ want to be the one in control. This whole drug thing? Boring. If I stabbed you now, you'd probably just come all over my bed, and I'd _really_ rather not have that kind of mess in here."

The heat surging through his stomach was painful, and Ryou fought with every ounce of strength he had not to squirm in place. He swallowed, moans still coloring his every exhale. "You think… I _want_ this?" he panted. "I don't like it either!"

"Then we don't have a problem, do we?" Melvin lifted the knife to his own face, and promptly licked the blade. "The drug will wear out in a couple hours. I can wait until then. The only question is, can _you_?"

"I can," Ryou growled back. He couldn't explain the jolt of desire that went through him when he saw him lick the knife, but he had a feeling it wasn't just the drug's effect, that time. _I actually… really think that was hot…_

"Splendid!" Melvin declared. He let go and stepped back, walking to the door and sticking the knife in his belt. When he got there, he paused and turned back. "You just wait there like a good boy, I'm going to go eat dinner."

"What?" Ryou blurted, turning on his side again to stare at him. He couldn't just leave like that! "What about…. Me?"

"Hmmm?" Melvin purred. He opened the door. "I suppose you could try to make it to your room. There's still lots of idiots out there who'd love to finish what those other ones started. Go ahead, I'll cheer for you from the cafeteria. Or you can wait it out here, until sundown, when the drug wears off." He laughed, harshly, and fell silent. His look became ominous, and he fixed Ryou with a murderous glare. "My only condition is that, despite your _current mood_ , you don't do anything that would leave a _mess_. If you do," his smile this time, held no humor. "I'll tear out your entrails with my bare hands, and strangle you with them. Understand?"

Gritting his teeth, Ryou nodded once. He got the message, loud and clear.

"See you later," Melvin said, smiling once more, as he sauntered out the door and locked it behind him.

Ryou flopped over onto his back. "So that's it," he moaned helplessly. "He gets to go off and eat food, while I suffer through this drug without touching myself. Or go out into the hall and risk getting raped. What kind of school even sets this kind of scenario up!? I hate this place!"

Still, as he lay there with his nerves aching and his heart racing, a different sort of feeling washed over him. It was a strange one, an almost foreign one, and it took him a minute to realize that it was just a small hint of real happiness.

Melvin was someone he knew. He had rescued him from being raped, carried him to his room, and was protecting him until the drug wore off. He had no intention of taking advantage of him, either. It was almost like… in the most unfortunate and unlikely of places, Ryou had accidentally found a friend.

Or… some that almost cared about him.

He threw an arm over his face, tears slipping down his cheeks. "This is stupid," he choked back a sob. "I'm miserable, my body is in agony, and I hate this place. So why do I feel so _happy_ right now?" He cried until his energy was spent, releasing what pent up emotions he could, until finally sleep came to him.

He fell into it with a shudder of relief.

-o-

 _Thanks so much for your reviews, I do hope you're enjoying it. The best parts, or course, are still to come._

 _To be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, attempted rape, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter Four**

-o-

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey," came a sing-song voice that almost sounded exactly like Marik's. It wasn't though, and Ryou recognized it enough to rouse himself from slumber.

He sat up with a groan, his head throbbing painfully. "Blimey I feel like I've been run over by a truck a few hundred times," he complained. At least he could actually sit up now, and that alone was a vast improvement.

Melvin sat on the desk chair again, watching him calmly with the knife in his hands, easily visible. "Did you have a nice sleep?"

"Did you have a nice supper?" Ryou shot back.

A grin flashed across Melvin's face. "Aw, your sarcasm is adorable." He gave Ryou's body a quick once over, and his eyes half-lidded with satisfaction. "Nice to know we'll both live another day."

"Both?" Ryou asked. He swung his legs off the bed, slowly beginning to stretch. Every muscle ached, and he still had a feeling of being unsatisfied in his skin. But it was far less pronounced. He gave Melvin a suspicious glare, trying to understand him.

"You have actually read the guidebook, I assume," Melvin blinked his eyes slowly. "Stop asking stupid questions. You're making the psychopath look more intelligent than you, nerd."

Guidebook? Ryou frowned, and slowly, the words made sense. "If you kill me, they'll kill you," he said slowly.

"You really are a slow one."

"Hey, my mind is kind of in a fog right now, I was drugged! You can't expect me to be at my best right now!" A blushed crossed Ryou's face. "A-anyway, I didn't do anything weird in your bed, I wouldn't do that _anyway_. So… you know…" he looked down, feeling awkward, and took a deep breath. When he looked back up, Melvin was suddenly right there in front of him, leaning over, face inches away.

Ryou had never heard him move.

"An...y….way….." Ryou swallowed. His voice was gone, and all he could manage was a whisper. His eyes stared up into calm purple irises that never seemed to blink. "I just wanted to say thank you. For rescuing me."

Melvin reached for his neck, slowly placing his fingers around it in a soft hold that got gradually stronger with each passing second. It seemed to take ages before it became hard to breathe, but by then, Ryou was already breathless. He grinned, wider. "What makes you think," he purred, "I _rescued_ you, little bird?"

Ryou raised his hands, grabbing at Melvin's wrist as he tried to pull his hand away from his neck, and the slowly growing pressure that threatened to crush it. "C...an't…. B-br..reathe…."

"Don't worry," Melvin said softly. He pressed the flat of his knife against Ryou's shirtless chest, harder and harder with the same, agonizingly slow pace, until its edges began to dip too far into Ryou's skin. He felt his skin split with a surprising amount of pain, as if the odd angle and pressure was just right to agitate his nerves. "I won't kill you."

The hand choking him suddenly let go, and Ryou fell back against the bed with a gasp, coughing and pulling his hands up to cradle it. His cuts burned, his eyes burned, and his throat burned as he tried to breathe again, and all the while, Melvin stood over him and laughed.

 _This hurts,_ Ryou thought, blinking away moisture from his eyes, as Melvin yanked him back up to a sitting position by his hair. _It hurts surprisingly more than the time I got stabbed. That came with endorphins and dizziness, and the confusion of bloodloss. This is like he knows exactly how to make my nerves freak out without even doing that much damage._

"What's wrong?" Melvin taunted. "You're not saying anything. In fact, I hear a very distinct amount of not screaming. That's very unfortunate." He slapped the flat of the blade against Ryou's stomach, snickering at the v-shaped cut it left behind.

"Rather," Ryou coughed, keeping one hand over his throat, but using the other to grasp onto Melvin's wrist in a pitiful attempt to make him stop. His words made his throat hurt, but he forced them out anyway. "I think it's fortunate for your neighbors."

"But unfortunate for you," Melvin tilted his head, his look chiding, before shaking Ryou's hand away. He nonchalantly began to drag the edge of the knife up and down Ryou's chest, not cutting, merely pulling at the cuts he'd already created, and visibly enjoying each wince it got out of his captive. "If you don't scream, I won't get in trouble. And you'll be stuck here until I see fit to let you go. Experiment is over, you know."

Ryou tried once more to push away Melvin's hand, flinching backwards with a pained hiss at the abuse his already aching cuts were receiving. "What's wrong with you?" he snapped. Combined with his aching headache and an acute frustration-that, while not actively making him horny, was still leaving him in a foul mood-the mild attempt at torture Melvin was taunting him with was only making him angry. "You're telling me to scream so that you get in trouble? You're not even stabbing me, you're just picking at me with these pathetic cuts? I was only mildly scared when you choked me, the rest of this is just annoying!"

Melvin leaned back with a bored expression, one raised eyebrow the only hint that he was surprised by Ryou's words. But after a minute of staring at the glare on his captive's face, he threw back his head and laughed.

"Yeah that's getting annoying, too," Ryou pointed out, holding his head with a sharp sigh. "Seriously, Melvin. You're not acting like yourself. Just bloody stab me already."

"Oh no," Melvin continued laughing. "No no no, that would be too easy. What fun is torture if it's over too quickly?" He grabbed Ryou's hair again, forcing his head back at a painful angle, exposing his neck and leaning forward to lick it with his tongue. It was so sudden, Ryou couldn't resist it, and wasn't able to stop the blush from searing across his face. "Torture is all about breaking your victim. And you, stupid limey, are nowhere _near_ broken."

Ryou flinched, the movement rolling down his spine like a shiver, his heart racing in his chest. He was unable to move, his nerves raged angrily about their pain, and Melvin was slowly pressing the blade once more into his chest the same way he'd cut him the first time. Too slowly, too painfully.

But all he could think about was how hard his heart was racing at the mere _thought_ that that mouth was merely inches away from neck.

 _Not broken?_ His mind scoffed. _On the contrary. There's something very, very wrong with me._

Three more times, Melvin pressed the blade into his skin until it bled, and watched him squirm and wince at the pain. Each time, Ryou found he couldn't cry out, fearful that if he did so, it would come out as a moan. The third time, Melvin let go of his hair, and sneered at him as he turned away.

"Congratulations," the bronze-skinned teenager mocked, grabbing a washcloth from his desk and tossing at Ryou's chest. "You are now officially boring me. You are free to go."

Ryou swallowed, holding the cloth like he didn't know what to do with it. His nerves were on fire, and he was pretty sure that if he tried to walk right now, he'd fall over. "Boring?" he murmured.

Melvin tossed himself in his chair, watching him with unblinking eyes as he meticulously began to lick Ryou's blood off the knife. "Booooooring," he sang.

He couldn't explain why, but it made him feel disappointed to hear it. _Boring? I don't know why, but it sort of feels like… I've been rejected…. Somehow._ Ryou grimaced, pressing the cloth to his chest and slowly dabbing each of his wounds. It stung.

"Be more fun if you screamed."

"I don't scream," Ryou frowned. He swallowed as he watched Melvin's long tongue snake expertly along the blade, cleaning it. _That's my blood he's licking. Bugger… that's still…. really hot…_

"Is that a challenge?" Melvin raised his eyebrow again, and as if knowing exactly what Ryou was thinking, continued to lick the knife even after it was clean.

Ryou fought the urge to swallow again. "I still don't get why you did all this. Not kill me, or stab me, or even put any lasting damage or injury on me. You didn't take advantage of me, and you protected me from those other guys."

"So?" Melvin looked bored. He blinked, once, slowly.

"I want to know why."

With a shrug, Melvin tossed the blade onto his desk and stood up, opening his door and beckoning out of it. His smirk was so smug, it made Ryou feel baffled. It just made no sense! He groaned as he stood up, but walked out of the room with deliberate steps, his various aches and pains throbbing together simultaneously. It was miserable.

 _So he isn't going to tell me. Is that part of how he tortures people? He messes with their minds as well as causing pain? I don't get him at all! He isn't like how he was from our show. I don't know what to expect._

He turned when he was standing outside of the door, looking up at Melvin with his face a mess of bewilderment and frustration. He opened his mouth, closed it, then sighed. He gave Melvin a wry smile. "You know, whatever, I don't care. I'm still grateful to you."

Melvin just looked at him, still bored, and still done with him.

Ryou's expression softened a little. "Thank you, Melvin."

A flicker of something flashed in Melvin's eyes, but before Ryou could identify it, the door was slammed in his face, and he was left alone in the hall.

Ryou turned and made his way back to his room, wanting nothing more than to stick bandaids all over himself and fall into bed.

-o-

 _These chapters are short, I know, but it's doable for me to write a chapter a day this way._

 _To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, sensual biting, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter Five**

-o-

Ryou looked for Melvin in class after that, and never once saw him. He could never find which classes he was in, and never saw him in the cafeteria either. The few times he went to knock on his door in the days that followed, he received nothing but silence, and was forced to return to his own room alone. School continued as if the experiment never happened, and not one of the students talked about it. It was like a silent taboo, and having no friends to speak of, Ryou couldn't ask anyone.

It was almost a week later that the second experiment occurred, and this time, the second Ryou heard the five tone bell chime, he stuffed his books in his bag and bolted for his room. It was the safe zone, and without Melvin around to talk to he had no other security in case something happened.

He was almost there, just two turns from his hallway, when a thought occurred to him, and he slowed to a stop. It was another experiment, Melvin's chance to hurt other people without consequence. Maybe… he was out there?

"I can't seriously be thinking of looking for him," he murmured out loud, trying to laugh, even as he turned on his heels and began to walk toward Melvin's room. It was on the other side of the school. "I mean it's crazy, right? He'll just hurt me again."

The air around him smelled strange, almost like honey and flowers mixed together. It made him feel light-headed and heavy all at once, and a feeling of courage surged up within him. Maybe it was the environment that the scientists were messing with that made him feel like the embodiment of reckless abandon, but Ryou felt like he could do anything. That he _should_ just do anything.

 _I want to find Melvin. I have to. He's the only thing I can hold onto here, and I'll go crazy if I can't see him again._

A determined smile spreading across his face, he hurried the rest of the way to Melvin's door. This time, instead of just knocking, he pounded on it with his fist, over and over, until his hand went numb. Even then he didn't stop, because he didn't know what else to do. This door was all he had, and if Melvin wasn't behind it, then he might never see him again.

"Melvin," Ryou called, his hand banging harder. The smell of honey filled his nose, he felt drowsy, confused, invigorated. "Melvin," he called louder, kicking the door now. _Please be in there… please hear me, wherever you are!_ "MELVIN!"

The hand he intended to smash against the door was suddenly snatched by a strong grip, and Ryou struggled against it angrily. He turned, about to yell at whoever was stopping him, and found himself looking up into none other but Melvin's face.

His eyes were cold, flat, studying him without blinking. There was no humor in his expression, no grin, nothing but coldness. Even so, just the sight of his face made Ryou feel relief.

He wasn't crazy. Melvin was real! He was real, and he was here! "Oh thank God," Ryou sighed, turning his back to Melvin's door and leaning against it, not bothering to try and get his arm out of the other's grip. "I thought… maybe I'd dreamed it, and you weren't real after all."

Melvin blinked once, slowly, and a dark anger swirled in his eyes for a brief moment. His grip tightened, so much so that Ryou could feel his skin bruising under his fingers, and cringed as the pressure threatened to snap his bones. "What do you want?" Melvin asked. No taunting, humor, or desire to hurt for pleasure. There was only coldness, and anger.

Ryou winced, his arm squirming above his head where Melvin held it. "What's wrong with you?" he asked, worry leaking into his thoughts. Something wasn't right…he wasn't acting like himself. _I thought that last time too, but now it's worse. He's… there's something wrong. I can tell._ "Did something happen?"

Melvin's breath hitched, and then he yanked Ryou away from the door, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him right back against it so hard, he knocked the wind right out of him. " _Something_?" he hissed. "What the fuck do you _think_ happened?"

"A…h…" Ryou wheezed, blinking away stars as he tried to find his breath again. _Bugger, that hurt…_ "W-hat… do you… mean?" Another sharp cry of pain escaped his lips when Melvin smashed his fist into Ryou's gut, three times, and then tossed him on the ground.

"Get out of my way," Melvin growled, kicking him aside once he was on the ground, and tearing his key out of his pocket to shove it into his doorknob.

Behind him, Ryou curled up in the fetal position, choking on his breaths. _That bloody hurt… that wasn't like last time at all. He isn't just trying to hurt me, he wants to disable me. This is… different._ He had to struggle to get up to his feet, but he forced himself to do so, anxious to catch Melvin before he locked himself in his room. "Wait," he blurted, stumbling forward and catching hold of Melvin's shirt with both hands. "Please… tell me what's wrong!"

"Get off of me," Melvin snapped, unlocking his door and throwing it open. He whirled around, catching hold of Ryou's neck and gripping it tight.

Ryou gritted his teeth and held on tighter. "No, I won't! Melvin please, you're all I've got here, don't shut me out. What happened? Just tell me."

In reply, Melvin started to squeeze, eyes narrowing as he watched Ryou struggle for air. There was no compassion in his eyes, only anger.

"Even if you do this," Ryou choked out, keeping his eyes fixed on Melvin's face, "I won't leave. I'll stay outside your door until you talk to me."

The pressure tightened, and Ryou felt his throat crush with a jarring shock of pain. He struggled with wild spasms, real fear crossing his face as he realized… Melvin was not going to let go. He was crushing him… depriving him of air, of the ability to speak, until he passed out.

Or died.

Staring up into those cold lavender eyes, two thoughts crossed Ryou's mind before consciousness left him in darkness. First, that even if the last thing he ever saw was Melvin's face, then at least he knew he wouldn't die alone. And second… that the color of those eyes was not lavender. They were the exact shade of the bergamot flower.

"My favorite," he mouthed in a delirium of surprise, no sound coming from his throat.

When unconsciousness claimed him, it took the pain with it, and all he knew was darkness.

-o-

 _"Didn't think you were that stupid. I guess some people really don't have any self preservation," a voice said to him in the darkness. It was quiet, deep, and unbearably sad. "But you can't stay here. You can't stay around me._

 _"If you do, I really might kill you next time."_

Ryou opened his eyes slowly, the words seeming to come to him out of a dream. All he knew was that his head was aching, and his throat felt so crushed that even the idea of swallowing made him want to writhe in agony. He sat up, looking around the room in a state of confusion.

It was Melvin's room.

Immediately, Ryou bolted upright and looked around the tiny room, a hand flying to his crushed throat as if to protect it when he gasped in a breath of air. Sure enough, it hurt like hell. But that didn't matter. Melvin was standing at the door, staring at him blankly, leaning against his only way out as if to keep him from escaping.

But that was the last thing Ryou wanted to do.

"Mel…." he tried to speak, and then coughed painfully, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. Okay yes… that was incredibly uncomfortable. Speaking was out of the question right now.

Watching him coldly, Melvin let out a sigh, as if disappointed. "I really don't get you," he said, his voice dry and expressionless. "I just crushed your windpipe, nearly killed you, and yet you look so fucking _excited_ to see me. Are there some screws loose in there or something? What's with you?" A hint of anger began to seep into his tone, and into his eyes. "Why did you come back here?"

Ryou glared at him, as if trying to convey how stupid the question was. Didn't he get it? Hadn't Ryou mentioned it before? Melvin was the only thing he knew from his previous life before this horrible school, the only thing he could hold onto. In lieu of speaking, he simply pointed at Melvin emphatically. _You_ , he thought in frustration. _You're the reason I came back._

Melvin's eyes narrowed further, unimpressed. "You know, seeing the look in your eyes while I crushed your neck was satisfying in more ways than I care to admit, but now I wish I hadn't done it," he complained. He sighed, eyes never leaving Ryou's face. "You're almost more annoying when you don't answer my fucking questions."

As it was pointless to even try to respond, Ryou crossed his arms and looked back at him defiantly. Something was different today. Something had happened, and he was not moving from this spot until Melvin told him what it was.

"LISTEN," Melvin said, drawling the word with a sneer on his face as though remembering something he preferred to scorn. "What makes you think I'm going to tell you _anything_ you want to know? What makes you think I'm going to do anything but hurt you? Or don't you remember last time?"

 _I remember,_ Ryou thought, his scabbed cuts all over his chest and stomach itching and aching at the memory. _It hurt a lot more than I thought it would, but none of them are lasting injuries, or will even leave a scar, so it's still better than what I've had to deal with most of my life._

"Today I have something else planned," Melvin said, his sneer growing dark, and anger showing behind his gaze. Anger and helplessness, as though he felt trapped with no way out. "I was going to leave you alone, you know. But you just _had_ to come back. You have no self preservation, whatsoever."

"I don-" Ryou's attempt to reply was suddenly cut off by the pain in his throat, and he grabbed at it with a pained whimper, squirming in place. _It hurts… it hurts!_

Melvin watched him, the anger fading slightly as his pupils dilated, and the corners of his mouth pulled back wider into a smirk. "Mmmm," he sighed upon exhaling, the sound of desire in his tone. "Lovely."

Ryou had to struggle to hold still, and his eyes were watering when he made eye contact again. Heat washed over his face at Melvin's expression, though he wasn't sure why.

"I take it back. You're _much_ better this way," the Egyptian youth said, pushing away from the door and walking closer. He leaned over Ryou, lifting his hand and touching two fingers to the hand-shaped bruise around Ryou's neck. "I do so enjoy seeing you writhe in pain."

The fingers against his skin made him shiver. _His eyes are dark,_ Ryou thought, swallowing painfully. His heart raced at Melvin's proximity, and at the fear of more pain. _I am afraid,_ he thought with a grimace. _So why… am I excited?_

"I gave you every chance to walk away," Melvin said, his voice lowering into something just above a whisper. It gave him a husky-sounding tone that, coupled with the look in his eyes, made Ryou's stomach twist into flurries and knots. "I gave you every chance to back out, but now that chance is gone. You brought this on yourself."

All he could do was nod, acknowledging the words.

"I won't be kind to you," Melvin warned, sounding pleased. He continued to trace his fingers over the bruising on Ryou's neck, watching him shiver in amusement. "I will hurt you. I will make you cry. I will try to make you scream. But you're going to come here all the same, every time they run tests. Aren't you?"

Again Ryou nodded, though the movement was slight, as if he was held captive by Melvin's gaze alone. _His touch feels good,_ he thought with despair. _I can't move. And what's worse, I don't think I want to._

"You really are a stupid little mouse," Melvin chuckled. He poked Ryou's throat harshly, the darkness in his eyes growing when Ryou whined in pain. "But you're doing me a favor, so I'll give you a reward just this once." He leaned closer, grinning when he heard Ryou's breath catch in his throat, and placed his lips against his captive's bruised neck. The kiss was gentle at first, a shocking and foreign feeling that caused a rippling sensation to cascade down Ryou's nerves. But in a few seconds Melvin opened his mouth, sinking his teeth harshly into the pale skin.

It didn't matter that making noise hurt like hell, Ryou couldn't _help_ it. His eyes fluttered closed as a moan escaped his lips, heat and pleasure warring with the jarring pain that erupted in his throat from making sound. In a desperate attempt to keep still, he grasped at Melvin with both hands, squirming in place. _I'm on fire! I'm… I'm dizzy… it hurts… oh fuck it feels good..._

A growl rumbled in Melvin's chest, one that Ryou could feel as well as hear. It made his nerves hum with anticipation, and it took a minute for him to realize that he was attracted to the sound. The bite got harder, replacing pleasure with a sharp pain, and Ryou cried out again, louder this time. His eyes pricked with tears, and his legs jerked helplessly.

"H-h...urts…!" Ryou gasped. His nails clawed into Melvin's back, a defensive move he wasn't able to control.

The growl turned into a chuckle, and Melvin began to gnaw on his poor abused neck. He pressed him down onto the bed, pinning him in place as he assailed him with his teeth. With every sound Ryou made, Melvin bit hard and more urgently. And with every squirm, every tearing of his nails into Melvin's back, he pinned him down harder.

Ryou wasn't sure when the pain started to bleed into pleasure, or how long the struggle went on, but by the time Melvin sat up, wiping blood from his mouth and grinning wildly down at him, Ryou was a complete and utter mess. His chest heaved with every breath, his throat burned from all of his cries and noises. Both arms twitched by his side, fingers grasping at the sheets under him as his back arched and twitched.

 _Relief_ … that Melvin had stopped.

 _Frustration_ … that Melvin had stopped.

He didn't know which feeling was stronger.

Melvin's tongue trailed across his lips, lapping up the drops of blood that remained. It would have worried Ryou to see it, if it didn't make him feel so aroused. "Every day might be hell," he said, his voice thick with a heaviness that matched the feeling in Ryou's stomach. "But I think... I can put up with it. If I have _this_ to look forward to."

A weak groan was all Ryou could muster in reply. _I'm dizzy. I feel hot. Fuck. I can't think._

"If they question you," Melvin added, going to his desk and opening the drawer. He pulled out a first aid kit and returned to the bed, smirking as he began to treat the bleeding bites around the side of Ryou's neck, "you're going to tell them that you _begged_ me to do it to you. That you're a little _slut_ for pain, and I'm the only one who will give it to you _just the way you like it_."

A fierce blush washed over Ryou's face. He wanted to retort, to tell him to go stuff it, but he couldn't bring himself to open his mouth. Instead, he turned his head away, letting the other tend to his neck begrudgingly.

"You know what will happen if you don't," Melvin murmured, dabbing a cotton ball with antiseptic over his wounds. He waited, as if expecting a reply, until he began to wrap bandage tape around Ryou's neck. "The same thing as last time," he finally finished, completing his bandage job at the same time.

Ryou turned back to look at him, wondering what he meant by that. What happened last time? He wanted to ask, though he simply lay there looking up at the other, questioning. _I was right, wasn't I? Something DID happen to him. Something happened because of me._

"If you want to see me again, that is my condition," Melvin said, his face blank. There was no more desire, no more excitement or thrill in his eyes. It was like all the life had gone out of him.

"I do want to see you again," Ryou mouthed, wincing in pain even though he was hardly even whispering. But he had to say it. _You're all I have. Even this, even the pain and the fear, it's nothing compared to what it's like out there alone. I'll go through anything, just…_ "Don't…" he gritted his teeth, eyes watering as he forced the words out. "...leave me… alone."

Heaving a sigh, Melvin covered his face with one hand. "Fucking hell," he whispered. For a long moment he just sat there, unable to say anything. And then he scooped Ryou up, tossed him over his shoulder, and breezed out the door.

If Ryou could speak, he'd be demanding to be put down, or at least to know where they were going. He couldn't speak though, and so with a flustered expression on his face, he held on to the back of Melvin's shirt, praying he didn't notice the uncomfortable bulge in his trousers. The bulge that just happened to be pressed up against Melvin's shoulder. When Melvin finally lifted him up and deposited him back on his feet, he only then realized where they were.

 _My room. He… he knew where my room was. Exactly where it was. Has he been here before to see me, and I didn't know?_ The thought made Ryou's heat flutter.

"You're going to be the death of me," Melvin growled under his breath. He glared down at Ryou's face, watching the emotions play across it. "That's why they call it deathshipping. Not because of me. Because of _you_. Stupid."

"What?" Ryou blurted, coughing with surprise at both the comment, and at the sharp jab in his throat that came with the word.

"I said," Melvin leaned closer, tiling Ryou's chin upward with his hand forcefully. He watched with a hint of amusement as Ryou shivered. " _Stupid_."

One second he was leaning in, as though he was going to kiss him. And then the next, he was gone, leaving Ryou standing in place before his door.

It took several minutes before Ryou found the strength to open his door and sink into bed. But it would be long hours of tossing and turning with thoughts and heart racing before he would ever get to sleep.

-o-

 _No one can deny there is such delicious chemistry between these two. I'm just doing my best to portray it._

 _And now, this is where things REALLY start to get interesting._

 _To be continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, sensual biting, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter Six**

-o-

"Bakura Ryou?"

Ryou jolted at the sound of a female voice, looking up from his textbook. Standing before him was a woman in her 40's, holding a clipboard and wearing a white lab coat. He nodded, in lieu of speaking. After everything that happened last night, the last thing he wanted to do was make a sound.

"I need to speak with you. Come with me." She tapped her clipboard with her pen, her face blank of any emotion or indication of why. "It wasn't a request," she added, attempting a smile.

The look was cold, and made Ryou's skin crawl with anxiety. Again, he nodded, closed his textbook, and got up to follow her.

"You can leave your things here," she said, giving the book and backpack sitting on his usual windowsill a cursory glance. "Someone will return them to your room for you."

 _Someone?_ Ryou thought, grimacing, though he said nothing. When she started to walk, he followed after her. The last thing he wanted to do was follow her, but the fear of what might happen if he didn't compelled him. _She's one of the faculty, one of the scientists running these bloody experiments. If I don't obey her orders, she can call it "disobedience" and do whatever she wants to me. I'd rather not risk it._

As they walked, any students they came across practically scampered out of the way, avoiding eye contact. One or two gave Ryou a look of pity as he passed, which only served to make his anxiousness worse. They walked to the far east end of the school to an elevator that Ryou had never seen anyone use before, where his escort slide her ID badge through a console next to the door. It opened, and she stepped inside.

"Come," she ordered, as if Ryou had any thoughts of doing otherwise.

Frankly, he had all of the thoughts. How fast could he run, would he make it, how bad would the punishment be, all of them. But he stepped forward anyway, into the elevator, and watched with a sinking feeling of dread as the door closed before his face.

It went down, deep into the mountain the school had been built on. Ryou's ears popped three times before it came to a stop, and when the door opened once more, he observed a long hallway that looked like hospital corridor. When he stood there staring uneasily down the hall without moving, the woman behind him placed her hand on his shoulder and began to push him forward. She did not let go as they walked, leading him down one hallway, turning right to go down another, until they reached what looked like a doctor's exam room. It occurred to him as she made him sit down on an exam bed that it might be just that… a doctor's office to treat anyone affected by the experiments.

 _My neck,_ Ryou thought in surprise, his hand inching up to adjusted his shirt collar, which he had buttoned all the way up to hide the bruising and bandages Melvin had put on it. _Is that why I am here? They want to treat it?_ He swallowed, realizing that they probably had surveillance cameras everywhere, even, possibly, their dorm rooms.

The woman sat down in the chair across from him, and gave him a professional smile that held no warmth. "Alright, Mr. Bakura, thank you for joining me today. There's a few things we need to clear up. I understand you have some trouble speaking in your condition, would you prefer yes or no questions, or do you require a notepad to write your answers?"

Ryou blinked, his stomach turning with nervousness. Of course they knew about his neck. Was there anything they didn't know? _So then… when those students were going to rape me in the hall… they knew and did nothing! It was probably just experiment data to them, we're nothing but lab rats!_ His face clouded with anger.

"Let's try yes or no," she said, observing his expression, and writing something down on her clipboard. "Nod for yes, shake your head for no. Do you understand?"

He nodded once, curtly, but the anger was still there on his face. How could they justify what they were allowing here? _How could they?_

"Are you Ryou Bakura, age 17, transferred from Domino High School, Japan?" She asked, reading her file with a bored tone, as though wanting to hurry through the necessary details. When Ryou nodded, she continued without pause. "Have you been actively seeking out contact with Experiment 17013-A?"

At this, Ryou frowned and hesitated, not sure what she meant. "What?" he mouthed, not making sound, but not wanting to nod or shake his head when he didn't have any clue what she was asking. Why would he actively try to participate in experiments? Both of the ones he had been a part of had been an invasion of his body and privacy, and the only good thing that had come out of them was meeting up with Melvin.

She looked at him, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Experiment 17013-A," she repeated. "You have actively been seeking him out. He is the one you were with last night when this occurred, correct?" She stood, walking over to him, and pulled his shirt collar to the side to reveal his bruise.

All at once, understanding struck him, and Ryou stared at her with wide eyes. Experiment 17-whatever… she was referring to Melvin! _What is she saying? Do we all have experiment numbers assigned to us? Or is he… special?_ Ryou swallowed, and making eye contact with the woman, he nodded firmly.

"And are you being coerced to go to him?" she continued, not even blinking. Her fingers stayed where they were, delicately pushing aside his collar to reveal his injury.

Ryou shook his head, smiling wryly. He almost laughed, but caught himself before doing so in case it hurt. _The opposite,_ he thought in amusement. _Even despite these injuries, he was right when he said it didn't matter if he hurts me. I will keep going back, because he's all I've got._

"Do you believe that your reasoning for seeking him out was influenced by our experiments?" she asked, withdrawing her hand with one eyebrow arched. She grabbed her clipboard, beginning to scribble notes onto it.

Again, Ryou shook his head. _Experiment or not, I want to see him. Nothing will change that._

For a while, she stood there beside him writing things down, and he sat in silence waiting for her to ask him more questions. It was several minutes later that she finally set her clipboard aside and turned to face him, hands on her hips. "Thank you for your answers, Mr. Bakura. We will begin now."

 _Begin?_ Ryou frowned, scooting backwards on the bed as two other people walked into the room. They too wore lab coats, but also had latex gloves on their hands and masks over their mouths. Before he could protest, one of them was pulling off his shirt while the other grabbed his arm and wrapped a plastic cuff around his bicep to check his blood pressure. "Wh...a-?" he gasped, wincing at the pain in his throat as he tried to struggle.

"Hold still," the woman snapped, her tone cold as she stood back out of the way. "If you resist, we'll sedate you."

 _What the hell?_ Ryou sighed in exasperation, giving her a scathing look as if to demand what was going on. He stopped resisting, letting the scientists or doctors, whoever they were, check his pulse, blood pressure, and listen to his heart and breathing. If they noticed the v-shaped cuts on his chest and stomach poorly covered by bandaids, they never said. "What's going on?" he whispered, gritting his teeth at the pain it caused him.

"You can't really be surprised," she replied, watching him with a small hint of amusement turning up one corner of her mouth. "If you're going to be actively seeking out and spending time with our experiment, we have to make sure that you are _safe_."

"Safe?" Ryou demanded, again, wincing as he whispered.

"17013-A is a very special case, we can't just have anyone interact with him." The woman picked up her clipboard again, writing down Ryou's pulse and other information as the doctors continued taking readings. His temperature next, testing his reflexes, looking at his ear canals, nose, and eyes. "Most of the students stay well enough away, after they experience his… shall we say, _bent_ for violence. So we aren't quite as concerned. You, on the other hand…"

She stepped forward, poking at the bandaged bites with her pen. "...You allowed him to taste your _blood_."

Ryou shivered, his face flushing hot at the comment. He had, in a manner of speaking. Though truthfully, he would have preferred it if Melvin hadn't bit him quite so hard. _I won't say that, I can't, because I don't want him to get in trouble. But I think… I think I understand a little bit better what happened that he wouldn't tell me._ "Why…" he swallowed, grimacing a little, and continued. "Why is he…"

The woman saved him the trouble. "An experiment instead of a student? I wondered when you would ask." She chuckled, the first real sound of emotion he had heard her portray. "Why don't you ask him, since you're so keen on seeing him? Or do you think he won't tell you?"

A feeling of being pricked caught Ryou's attention, and his head snapped sideways to see that one of the doctors had given him a shot. "Hey!" he blurted, coughing and squirming at the pain the outburst caused.

"Just an immunization," the woman waved her hand. "We'll have to give you a couple more injections, just to be safe. He did _bite_ you, Mr. Bakura. And while we're on the topic, we're going to need to get a few samples from you."

 _Oh, wonderful,_ Ryou thought, glaring at her angrily. _Exactly what kind of samples?_

He would have his answer almost immediately. They took four vials of blood, a urine sample, and a saliva swab. The worst, however, was when they made him lie down on his stomach so they could stab a giant needle into his spine for a sample of spinal column fluid. Why the bugger they needed something like that, Ryou didn't know, but no amount of protesting would make them stop. It hurt like hell, just as bad if not _worse_ than any of the cuts or bruises (or bites) that Melvin had given him. Even after that they weren't done, they gave him six more shots without telling him what they were, did a skin prick test on the inside of his left forearm, and cut a sample of his hair. What they needed all this for, he had no idea, nor did they enlighten him.

When they finally let him go, he felt personally violated. It frustrated him that the two doctors took his shirt away when they left, and was forced to walk out of the exam room topless. If speaking hurt less, there were several things he would be complaining about right now, as he walked stiffly beside the woman back toward the elevator. _I'll have to remember to give Melvin a piece of my mind for this,_ he thought with a sigh, crossing his arms and shivering at the chill air hitting his bare skin. _Not being able to speak is really irritating._

"We do appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Bakura," the woman beside him remarked, breaking the tense silence between them. "It really would be a pity if we had to confine you due to bad behavior. Those who prove to be _unsafe_ have to be removed from Experiment 17013-A's circle of influence. Permanently."

Ryou turned his head, looking up at her with a wary glance. Was she... threatening him? _So that's it then. I have to be on good behavior, put up with their invasive experiments as they see fit, or else they'll lock me up and refuse to let me see Melvin,_ he thought with dread, feeling like his heart weighed a hundred tons. Every breath felt labored, as his anxiety swirled around inside him.

They knew that he would do anything to see Melvin again. Even if that meant they could do whatever they wanted to him.

They had him exactly where they wanted him.

 _What was it that Melvin said?_ he thought in despair. _That every day was hell?_ He stepped onto the elevator, turning to see that the woman was not coming up with him. That, at least, was a small comfort. _I get it now._

And he did. Somehow he knew, that choosing to cling to the one person he knew from his old life had opened the lid to pandora's box. Whatever this horrid place had in store for him now, he knew that there was nothing he could do now to avoid it. The only comfort he could take was knowing that Melvin wouldn't be punished on Ryou's behalf.

 _I have no idea what kind of tests that they're running on him,_ he thought, as the door slid closed and the elevator began to ascend. _But something tells me they're a lot worse than what I experienced today._

He could only hope that there was a small chance things would get better for Melvin so long as he cooperated.

-o-

 _Ryou has always been willing to put up with all kinds of crap if it's on someone else's behalf. It's a flaw of his._

 _Or perhaps it's a strength?_

 _We'll see, in the chapters to come._

 _To be continued.._.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary** : Post YGOTAS Timeline; Ryou has been sent to a faraway boarding school, only to find that the entire school is being experimented on by some government group. Just as he's about to give into despair that his life is ruined, he makes an unlikely partnership with the last person he ever expected to see.

 **WARNING** : This story is rated M for mature themes involving scientific experimentation, sexual themes, sensual biting, violence, adventure, suspense, humor, plot development, and steamy lemons. Not all at once, and not over the top, but definitely in there. Please read with discretion.

 **Disclaimer** : Yu-Gi-Oh! and all of its characters © Kazuki Takahashi. This is a fan fiction, and no money is being made off of this story. Please support the original artist.

-o-

 **Chapter Seven**

-o-

Three days. That was how long it took for Ryou's throat to heal well enough that he could speak again, and by some stroke of luck, the teachers never called on him in class to answer questions during that time. Or perhaps, he reasoned, the teachers knew just as well as the scientists what had happened to his throat, and avoided calling on him in light of it. Whatever their reasoning may be, he was grateful to be given the chance to heal.

Several times he went by Melvin's door in those three days, knocking until his hands were numb and wishing he could call out for him, but no matter how long he stayed there knocking, kicking, or attempting to call out, Melvin never opened it. Perhaps he wasn't there at all. Memories of the woman's words returned to him on the third failed attempt to see him, and he wondered if they were carefully monitoring their "experiment" as they kept calling him, and were not letting Ryou interact with him until his tests came back clean.

It was the only explanation he could come up with that gave him some semblance of hope. As soon as he started to think that Melvin was avoiding him because he didn't _want_ him to come around, he felt sick to his stomach with despair.

He sat down on his favorite spot in the windowsill after one such unsuccessful attempt at visiting Melvin's locked and empty room, leaning against the glass and soaking up what warmth he could from the rays of the sun. With the school so high up in the mountains, it was always cold, and even the light of the sun did not give him as much warmth as he craved. He was feeling particularly down today.

"I hate this place," he murmured toward the window, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He was thin enough to be able to do so, even now that their show was finished, the ancient spirit Bakura was gone, and he was getting three meals a day. It seemed a few weeks of steady meals was not enough to undo nearly a decade of malnourishment.

"You and me both," someone said. He had not expected to get a response to his comment, so when one came, Ryou squeaked in surprise and shrank back against the window, looking up to see one of his classmates. They smirked at him, arms crossed loosely over their chest. "Are you that surprised to be spoken to?" he asked, one eyebrow arched at Ryou's reaction.

Ryou hesitated, staring at the other student warily, before deciding he didn't seem dangerous. He lowered his legs and sat on the edge of the windowsill, scooting to give his classmate room if wanted to sit too. "I am," he admitted, his voice still hoarse from being unused. "To be honest, I thought everyone at this school secretly hated me. No one talks to me except…" he stopped. _Except that one time, that first experiment, when…_ Ryou's face darkened with anger.

"Say no more," the student standing in front of him sighed, his own face twisting into a look of understanding. He took the offered spot beside Ryou on the windowsill, his arms still crossed over his chest. "And anyway, most of us aren't like that. We're just as much victims as you are. And we aren't easy to trust anyone."

"Gee, I can't imagine why," Ryou replied overly cheerfully.

The student beside him blinked, as if wondering if he was serious, but when he saw the wry smirk on Ryou's face, he chuckled. "Wow, you even have a sense of humor? Guess they haven't broken you yet."

"Yes well, I've had some practice dealing with not being in control of my own life," Ryou said, offering a sigh of his own. It was nice though, talking to someone about all this. "What about you, how long have you been here….?" He let his question trail off, waiting for the other to offer his name.

"Zeke," the student smiled. "I've been here ever since the debut of Duel Links. You know, that new phone app?" He sighed, running a hand through his punk-styled black hair. "I was supposed to be one of the NPCs for that. But I wouldn't obey the dumb rules, so they got rid of me."

"It can't be as simple as that," Ryou exclaimed. He had heard of the app, of course he had! It had been his one hope of getting out of coming to this school. But no, of course, no one wanted to duel _Ryou_ Bakura. They wanted to duel _Yami_ Bakura. "Bloody wanker," he muttered under his breath. "He gets to run around making people give him dice and send them to the Shadow Realm when they lose, and what do I get?" he spread his arms outward toward the school, exasperated. "Bollocks, that's what."

Zeke laughed, a quiet, nervous-sounding laugh that he seemed afraid to let carry. "You know, for your reputation, you're not all that bad."

Ryou frowned, looking at him. "What do you mean, my reputation? What reputation is that?" He stopped himself, held up a hand, and shook his head. "No, wait. I got this. I'm the 'limey British kid with too many fangirls and no personality, who's only liked by the fanbase because he has white hair and harbors a sexy evil villain ghost in his body.' How am I doing?"

The snicker Zeke provided as a reply was all Ryou needed. "You missed the part about being an attention-seeking asshole who thinks he's better than everyone."

"How could I forget that," Ryou lamented sarcastically. He couldn't help smiling in reply. "So is that why everyone has been avoiding me this whole time?"

Zeke nodded. "Well, that and the fact you're practically a main character. The rest of us? We were probably only on the show for a brief second in the background. We're here because we tried to rebel against the rules. Steal more screen time, try to ruin the show, that sort of thing. I wasn't even in the show, I was just _almost_ in the app."

"I'm not a main character," Ryou said, and there was a bit more bitterness in his voice than he wished to reveal. "I should have been, but…" he sighed. "Never mind, you're right. Compared to most people here, I was lucky to have the screentime I did. I'm sorry." He didn't know what compelled him to apologize for something he had literally no control over, but there was a relief in doing so.

"Not your fault," Zeke said softly, though he seemed pacified by the apology. "Anyway, yeah that's the main reason we haven't talked to you much. We had to see how you would act, you know? You may be some of those things, but you don't seem that much of a loser. Not any more than the rest of us."

"Thanks, I think?" Ryou laughed lightly, idly rubbing his throat. He was using it a lot more than he had in weeks, and after his injuries it was a bit much to get used to. "But thanks. For talking to me, I mean. It gets pretty lonely here."

"And the experiments suck," Zeke added. He nodded at Ryou's hand, still touching his throat. "Things like that happen all the time. I remember this one time, they gassed the whole school with something that made everyone so angry we all began attacking one another. If they hadn't also drugged the air with something that made us lethargic, we'd probably have murdered each other without even understanding why we were doing it."

"That's horrible!" Ryou gaped. He shuddered at the thought, wondering what possessed the scientists to even test something like that. _Chemical warfare is what it sounds like. They've moved on from testing animals to testing humans, and who knows what they're going to use it for._

"It's not even the worst thing they've done. About two months before you got here, they tested everybody like we were diseased. Took samples of _everything._ Blood, urine, spit, even spinal fluid. They gave us all like ten shots. And if anyone got sick, we were put under quarantine immediately. That was a pretty miserable time for everyone." He groaned, leaning back against the window. "We never figured out what that was about."

After what had happened to him just three days ago, Ryou was pretty sure he knew what it was about. It was probably around the time Melvin got here. Somehow though, he didn't know if bringing up Melvin was such a good idea.

Then again….

"So, speaking of almost main characters… you wouldn't happen to know anything about a certain villain character running around the school, would you?" Ryou looked at his new friend, attempting to act casual, and hoping his desperation wasn't showing. _I want to see Melvin. Maybe… Zeke has seen him?_

The student blinked, looking at Ryou like he was crazy. "Which _one_?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "Zombie Boy? Scud? Rex and Weevil? All the nameless ones in the background?"

Ryou raised his eyebrows. "So many? I mean.. I guess I can see that but… Wait, Rex and Weevil are here?" He looked down at the floor, contemplating. If so many characters from their show and various spin offs were here, how come he had yet to see any of them? Were they being purposefully isolated from each other? _Just how big is this place?_

"Oh they're here," Zeke nodded, turning his head to look out the window over his shoulder, as if distracted. "We don't talk to them though, they make a point of making us all feel bad for how insignificant we are, and how we should worship the ground they walk on. They're probably just talking big to keep people away because it sucks being here."

"I guess I'm not surprised, but still. Who are all these other students, then? I haven't seen anyone that I know, no one except…" He paused, watching Zeke's face to see his reaction. "...except Melvin."

"Oh. Ugh… THAT guy." Zeke groaned, reaching out and patting Ryou's shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sorry you had to run into that guy. It's like Silent Hill when he shows up."

Ryou looked at him, head tilted sideways curiously at that remark. He happened to be a _fan_ of Silent Hill, the games and the movies, so hearing a comment like that did nothing to make him less interested in Melvin. "Why do you say that?" he asked. He was desperate to hear anything, _anything_ , about him.

"It's like the night time in Silent Hill, you know?" Zeke said, using his hands in large movements as he talked, as if it explained things better. "The night falls, and all the dark and creepy stuff comes out. But there's that chance that Pyramid Head might show up and just fuck your life. That's what it's like here. Experiment time, all the worst of the worst crawl around trying to see what they can get away with. And if you're really unlucky, _that guy_ shows up and just fucks you up."

"It is like that, isn't it," Ryou mumbled, smiling at the analogy. "What does he do when he finds you?"

"You know. Chase you down like a maniac asking for a hug, and then stab you, cut you, beat you, tie you up and leave you, all sorts of things. If you get caught by him during an experiment, it's like the experiment itself means nothing. You're just fucked." He shook his head, shivering faintly. "I got caught by him once, and after three days recovering in the scientists' medical lab, I never EVER want to get caught by that guy again. He's no joke, Ryou. And if you want to keep things like that happening," he pointed at the hand-shaped bruise on Ryou's neck, "then you'll stay far away from him and pray to _God_ he never notices you."

Ryou said nothing, his face carefully blank as he thought about Zeke's words. But he knew that it was already too late. It didn't matter what Melvin did or didn't do, had or hadn't done. It didn't matter what the scientist were going to do either. Ryou wanted to see Melvin, and nothing was going to stop him.

-o-

 _Ryou may be a sharp tool in the tool box, but he doesn't have very high self preservation, does he?_

 _Thanks for your patience, as you all know, life happens. Next chapter we'll get to see Melvin again, I promise._

 _To be continued.._.


End file.
